Electrolyzing apparatus.



J. H. FISCHER, E. G. LUBNINGL A-.VW. COLLINS.

ELEOTROLYVZING .A QPABATUS.

ArPLIoATIoN'HLnD M11-n.14, 1911,.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. FISCHER, E. G. LUBNING 61 A. W. COLLINS.

BLEGTROLYZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION-FILED 111111.14, 11111` Patented sept. 26,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JSEPH H. FISCHER, EUGENE LUENING, AND ARTHUR W. COLLINS, OIE MILWAUKEE,

i WISCONSIN.

ELECTROLYZING PPARATUE To all whom, it may concern:

Be itlmown that we, Josnrn Il'. Fisciinn, Eucunntii. LUitNiNo. and Anrnun W. Coniunvs, citizens of the United States, and residents et hllilwaukee, in the county oit Milwaukee Iand Sta-te of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolyzing Apparatus; and We do hereby declare that the following is a tull, clear, and exact description thereot.

Our invention consists in what is herein particularly set forth with reference. to the accompanying drawings and vpointed out in the claims olf this specification, its object being to provide simple, economical and eilicient apparatus by which 'to decrease the cost of production, by electrolysis, of oxygen and hydrogen and to obtain the same for commercial purposes in a purer state than is possible with electrolytic apparatus such as is ordinarily employed, an vimportant feature of our improved apparatus being euch independent two-cell unit ot' the saine.

Figure-1 of the drawings represents a cross-section View of apparatus in accordance with our invention, and is illustrated by line 1,1 in Fig. 3; Fig'. 2, a vertical lon 'tn dinal section Viewv oit the apparatus having parts thereof broken away; Fig. 3, a plan view oit the apparatus partly in hori zontal section, this View being,r indicated by line 3--3 in Fig. l, and Fig. df, a perspective view of a cell-case oit the apparatus.

Referring by numerals to the drawings 5 indicates a suitable tank containing an elec-- trolyte 6 in which van indefinite number of independent, preferably oblong, metallic cases 7'are submerged, each case being open at the bottom to said electrolyte and divided into a pairo'f cells by a metallic diaphragm 8. Each cell case is preferably in two sections having rigid fluid-tight unions at their top and ends with the dividing diaphragm, the sides of the case being preferably set in grooves of insulating supporting blocks 9 that rest upon the bottom of the aforesaid tank. t

Supported on the blocks 9 to oceupy'one cell ot' each case 7 is an anode l0, and like- Wise supported in the other cell of the case is a cathode 11, these elements of cach independent unit of the apparatus bcingshown provided with insulators 12 between the sides and diaphragm'of said case. Electriccurrent conductor-posts 10 and 11 in con- Snecication of Letters Patent.

'Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

191i. semi No. 614,398.

neetion with the. anode and cathode, respectively, nrc provided with insulatingr covering' 13 Within the case-cells and upper outer nipples 14 of said cells. A similar covering 15 on each condlwtor-post is put in {ras-tight connection with the corresponding nippleby wire-wrapping or otherwise as may be inost cmivcnientor desirable in practice.

From the t'iuegoiii,e` it will be understood that provision is had for insulating; a plurality ot cell-cases from one another in the electrolyte, but as these cell-cases are electrically joined, the production of gas takes place in all simultaneously, oxygei'i in the anode cell and hydrogen in the cathode cell of cach case, the ilow of the electric-cinient boing indicated by arrows in Fin". l. The gases ind their way from the celle of each case through upper tubes 17, 18 with which said case is provided, and these tubes are designed for connection with service pipes or containers.

Because or' the peculiar construction ot the individual units and decrease of internal resistance in the herein described apparatus, a greater volume ot' each gas is obtained with less expenditure of electric-cu: .rent than is possible with any otlicrnppaiatus With which we are familiar. A greater purity oit the also results, because ot said individual units, and the general construction ot' our improved apparatus is suoli as to insure a better circulation and more uniforni density ot' the electrolyte than in apparatus heretofore employed for the production ot' oxygen and hydrogen by electrolysis. The cost of maintenance of our apparatus is less than any other for the saine purpose within our knowledge, because of its indepondent separately removable coll-'cases and parts therewith.

We claim:

l. An electrolyzing apparatus unit consistinp; of a sinele o )enbottom metallic case having a metallic diaphragm therein dividing the same into two cells each of which is provided with an upper gas-outlet tube, an anode insulated in one of the cells, and a cathode insulated in the other 0f said cells, the case and its contents being adapted to be submerged in an electrolyte.

2. An elcctrolyzing apparatus unit consisting of a single open bottom metallic case having a metallic diaphragm therein dividing the same into two cells each of which is provided With an upper nipple and an upper gas-outlet tube, an anode in one of the cells insulated from the diaphragm and the case, a cathode similarly insulated in the other cell, conductor posts extending from the anode and the cathode through the nipples with which said ease is provided, insulating covering on each post Within a cellcase and nipple, and similar Covering on said posts in gas-tight connection With said nipples.

3. An electrolyzing apparatus consisting of a tank, an electrolyte in the tank, a plu rality of independent open bottom metallic cases, insulated from one another in the electrolyte and severally provided with upper outer nipples and gas-outlet tubes, a metallic diaphragm in each case dividing the same into two cels from each of which one t of said nipples and one of said tubes extend, an anode in one cell of each case insulated from said case and the diaphragm therein, a cathode similarly insulated in the other cell of the saine case, conductor-posts extending from the anodes and eatnodes through the nipples of the aforesaid cases, insulating covering on the postswithin the cells and nipples, and similar covering on the said plosts in gas-tight connection with said nipp es.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto set our hands at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two Witnessea JOSEPH H. FSCHER. EUGENE G. LUENING. ARTHUR W. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. DONOVAN, PAUL F. COOKE. 

